squared off toes?

[~Perdita.M~]

Hope I have put this in the right place, we have a normal grass trim by a normal farrier, but we are barefoot so kind of hovering between the two forums:D

Bad owner I am, but noticed after the farrier had left this week that he has squared Sham's front feet off. He didn't mention it or say why he was doing it, and has never done it before on Sham, although we have noticed he does tend to do his field mate a bit squarer sometimes, but ironically not this time! Just Sham.

So really, just looking for some information on why this is done and whether it's a good or bad thing please?:) Couple of photos below, please excuse mud...we don't have a proper yard:o

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/fenellamaxwell/Photo-0128.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/fenellamaxwell/Photo-0127.jpg

[Showjumper]

Any sole shots?

[~Perdita.M~]

Oh no sorry, just those two quick snaps I took of the fronts being square:o Both his offside feet have small chunks out of the toe as we are fighting a successful battle against his WLD. Holes get smaller each trim. Would the square shape be related to things going on with the soles then?:confused: Total hoof ignoramous I'm afraid:o

[Showjumper]

It would be interesting to see a sole shot to see if what's happening on the outside is being done to fix something going awry on the inside :)

[~Perdita.M~]

Ok...well will attempt to remove mud tomorrow (if its not raining again!) with a bulldozer or something and see what I can get in the way of photos :D

[NoviceNic]

Has the farrier done it or does the pony drag their feet? Even a little will square off the toes....Captain had squared off the first time I had took his back shoes off but he seems better this time..

[~Perdita.M~]

Well I've had him three and a half years and he has always been barefoot? Never seen him square before.He isn't in any more or less work now than he has been either, or on different surfaces than he ever has been :confused: So pretty sure it's the farrier that has done it this time. I will ask him but he is a bit vague and I was just wondering if you clever people would know of reasons why or indeed why not..........he might do it.:)

[Yann]

My own illiterate guess would be that the farrier isn't dealing with flare at the quarters (10 to and 10 past with the toe at 12 O'clock) and this is what's giving you the squared off effect. I itch to pick up a rasp and take it off myself when I see this sort of thing, it would only take him a few seconds and the feet would be so much better for it. If you look at the foot from underneath the hoof wall and white line should be a uniform thickness round the edge of the sole.

[MelanieD]

It could be an attempt to bring the toes back a bit if they were getting long, hard to tell really without seeing sole shots and befores. Not a good thing to do at all, but at least better than leaving the toes to get long.

[Yann]

Be a horribly lazy job if that's what it is :(

[Harry Hobbes]

...just looking for some information on why this is done and whether it's a good or bad thing please?:) In the western USA this is done on the front feet of a horse that is forging or interfering. The squaring off of the front feet allows a faster "break-over" of the front feet, allowing them to get out of the way of the rear foot coming forward.

Best regards,
Harry

[~Perdita.M~]

Ok, these are about as good as I can do for *before* shots, these were in summer, and about two weeks before he was due to be trimmed by the same farrier. This is the sort of shape his feet always are:confused: Sorry, no soles of these either, and judging by the rain forecast and mud situation, going to be a bit hard to get current sole ones! Will do as soon as everything dries up enough to do it. The joys of field kept ponies and no facilities!:rolleyes:

near hind
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/fenellamaxwell/nearhind.jpg

near fore.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/fenellamaxwell/nearfront.jpg

edited to add - Gosh, look! dry ground and clean white legs! How blissful! :D